Forcing the Windows Phone 7.8 update: Camera button not required but patience is

If you've checked your Windows Phone 7.5 device for the 7.8 update with no success, you may want to try to force the process, just as we did with other Windows Phone updates like Mango.

This is a little different than downloading and installing Windows Phone 7.8 manually, which we reported on earlier. With this method you're basically tricking the Microsoft servers to recognize your Windows Phone and initiating the update early. Think of it as cutting in line (and Microsoft is okay with this, no worries).

The other benefit with this method (versus the CAB one) is it means you are getting the official carrier/OEM update that usually includes the firmware too. If using just CABs you are updating the OS but not any device specific software. That's not a bad thing but it's really not ideal.

How to

Forcing requires patience and the ability to disconnect your computer from the internet. Make sure you have the Wifi and your data connection turned off on your Windows Phone and connect to Zune. Go to settings and check for an update and as soon as you click the "Update" link in the settings you'll need to disconnect from the internet.

Let Zune come back and tell you that it can't check for an update right now, reconnect to the internet and you should see that an update is now available. Timing seems to be key and it may take you a few tries to get things just right (took me six tries). From there you follow along with the update wizard and your Windows Phone is updated.

If this trick doesn't work, it likely means that the update files for your device aren't out there on the servers yet to be installed. We were successful in forcing the update on the AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 but couldn't get the HTC HD7S to update. When all was said and done, the Windows Phone version ended up being 7.10.8858.136.

Interesting note on the 7.8 update is that it provides support for devices without a camera button. More than likely this is for future low-end devices like the Alcatel One Touch where the lack of a camera button will keep production costs down. You may see this in a smaller update that installs before the 7.8 update goes through.

Step by step instructions to force the Windows Phone 7.8 update

Connect your Windows Phone to a PC and launch the Zune software

Click on Phone > Settings > Update. Allow the software to tell you whether an update is available. If so, skip this guide. If not continue to the next step.

Time to force the update. Click another button (any of the options above or below the word Update). Then click the Update button again, and this time disconnect your computer from the internet after 1-2 seconds. Do this by pulling out the Ethernet cable, disabling Wi-Fi, etc. If it says your phone is already up to date, you didn't disconnect quickly enough and need to try this step again.

Wait 30 seconds or so and Zune should display a notification that an update is available.

Now reconnect to the internet and continue with the update process through the Zune software.

Depending on what OS build you are starting with, you may be prompted for several OS updates

Let the phone update and wait. The final OS build is 8858. If you are getting just 8779, you'll want to repeat 1-4 above

You may also be prompted to install a firmware update at the very end, follow through with this

Celebrate! The whole process, including backup could take up to 60 minutes. Check that you are on build 8858 to see if you are done.

What if this method just doesn't work?

This won't work for every Windows Phone out there, only those that are officially designated for the 7.8 update, so your experience will vary.

If you don't get the update, it can mean one of two things.

Your software update is literally not on Microsoft's servers for your phone/carrier. Try again in a few days.

Your update may never come.

On the second point, we're not too confident generation one devices or Sprint's Arrive will ever "officially" get this update, which is why try as they might this method will never work. For you folks, you'll have to do the more tricky manual CAB method.That will do the job but obviously it won't include any firmware. C'est la vie.

Let us know in the comments if you've had success with the forcing trick to get the update.

I just upgraded to 7.8 but now I am having a slight problem regarding marketplace icon.When I resize it to small size I get the new Windows Store logo but when I resize it to medium size I get the default 7.5 icon.Is this normal?

I just upgraded to 7.8 but now I am having a slight problem regarding marketplace icon.When I resize it to small size I get the new Windows Store logo but when I resize it to medium size I get the default 7.5 icon.Is this normal?

worked with my HTC Trophy! (Vodafone Spain). it took no less than FIVE updates actually. turns out i didn't even have Tango :D
WPcentral should write a story soon about how successful this update is being (provided you use the trick, of course).

Hi, right now 8858 update is installing on my LG Optimus 7. The cable trick - actually in my case i was trying on a mobile connection on my laptop. The first update was 8779, then 8783. For these two i had to do the trick just 2 or 3 times. But for 8858 i tried like 20 times. Zune kept saying i had the last software (8783). And then, suddenly, another final update. So now, my Optimus 7 is running version 7.8. My carrier is Vodafone Romania.

Waited all day while occassionally trying this and it finally worked! I'm guessing there was just too much traffic but oh well. I have my Lumia 900 updated and it looks freakin sexy! The only flaws I have noticed so far is some minor lag when moving tiles around, might just be me or my phone but there seems to be a higher sensitivity, and some apps have somewhat blurry tiles because the square tiles are enlarged. Other than that I am content with this update. I don't know about Microsoft but Nokia is usually faithful to providing more service to customers in the form of updates and apps so I am hopeful that this may not be the last update for Lumia 900.

I've updated my HTC Mozart and it works just fine, but... Seriously? I thought 7.8 come with several updates and new stuff.. But few things changed.. The mainly change was the new start screen. What about corner kids? Password with pictures? Those things does not require a powerful hardware to accept these changes/updates.

It just worked for me with Movistar Argentina on a Lumia 900. Had to install upgrades as described and had to wait 5 sec to disconnect my computer from internet. I had to install two updates, though. 7.10.8783.12 first and then the 7.10.8858.136 one showed up.
Good luck!

Patience is right. Busily updating my unlocked Titan now. Happy camper, but it is a frustratingprocess.

On the second legnow; 7.10.8783.12. wondering if I will have a third go-round, or if this time it will pop both in. The little bugger gets faster and faster finding that it is updated. They were right that the timing changes as you go on.Good lukc, everyone!

Lumia 800 : UK : Three network
Detected the first update with using the Zune trick
But failed on second update to 7.10.8783.12 .
It failed at the point where it was rebooting the phone (Nothing at all on the screen, but did detected the phone as removable media and asked me to format the drive)
Left it like that for a while and did nothing
Soft reset my phone, tried again still failed on seconds update (dark screen and removable storage asking to format)
Another soft reset, uninstalled Zune and then reset my phone to start again, and it now it says no update available
Will try the Zune trick again later

contains nothing dude... check ur link... nd by the way did u got bluetooth file transfer in update... because mine update is complete but no bluetooth file transfer... bluetooth feature is still same...

"Great success!" - Borat. Now installing 7.10.8585.136 "Provides new Start screen ...etc@"
For those of you havingtrouble, I think you have to hold your tongue right while you do it.

Seriously, don't forget to go back to step 1 if you have trouble. It seemed different for me each time, but the most frustrating was after the first install. At that point, I rebooted, started from scratch, and pulled it off. The easiest was the third.

Sorry....paused to watch step 8 - restarting the phone. Pretty blue splash with the new Windows logo...man, those 1/2 sized tilesare big on the Titan. now to play. Have fun everybody.

Just found an update using this trick with a locked Lumia 800 on Orange UK - need to start again with free space on my phone though! took me about 10 seconds and i think it helped by disabling other network connections on windows that might still show up as a "connection" - i disabled my hamachi connection and my (out of range) wifi adapter as precautions

Thankfully its not just me then. Be intresting to see what the response from O2UK is. I'd of thought that seeing as every other phone & network and even non O2 locked HD7s are getting updated it should be soon we do.

Spoke to Nelson O2 Guru (yea i know wasting my time). He was of the opinion it was down to the manufacturer to release. Stuck to this even when i pointed out it was on other HTC HD7's not on O2.... Still no response from O2UK.

I've used WPHackers Seven-Eighter (See home page feed here) and updated to 7.8, painless and working perfectly, 78er itself crashed after every phone reboot but ran the following update once re-started. (Win7 x64). I had the 3 cumulative updates with reboots and install time, 11 minutes flat.
I've noy lost any data, none of the settings in place were effected, it is exactly as was right down to the last played song on the way into work this morning, it's just 7.8 now.

Cool i did look at the article on seven to eight but i am holding out that i wont need to use it as it seems to be a very mixed bag reading its comments. I did have a response from O2 asking for my model of HTC phone so hopefully they know something and come back to me later. Anyone tried the cable trick today?

Yeah its not working still. i'm holding out doing the manual update too as my WP7 is my only phone I did tweet O2 myself and got a reply today saying did I try updating via Zune?
I replied saying" yes and it says no update avaliable, also tried the wire trick and still didn't get a update. "
It seems to me that O2 arnt that bothered about it as they tend to be flirting on their twitter feed more than answering customers. (if last night was anything to go buy.) Tbh I may leave when when my contract comes up, as i'm not impressed by their Gurus and their twitter support. But i'll let you know when I get a reply.
EDIT: I thought I tweet them saying is it possible for them to unlock my phone so I can leave them when I contract expires. As judging from their tweets they do unlock your phones. (Would aid in the update also said in me leaving O2.)

According to O2 (phoned them) if you can't get the update on your HD7 phone its a fault with the phone so take it into your local O2 store and explain to them.
EDIT: I can't wait to be there when they open tomorrow and get them to look at it. (Excited)
EDIT2: if you have a manual update/unoffical then then i'm guessing they wounnt look at it. Also makre sure to back up your contacts and stuff as i'll assume that O2 most likely will perform a reset.

DOH! Saw you reply late after applying seven to eighter. After a promising start i got the O2 response of "Sorry we have no updates on this" so i assumed i was on my own. Will be interesting to hear how you get on. If they dont do anything then at least i know as Ionosphere did that the seven to eighter works just Run as Administrator and restart it when it crashes after each update install. I may revert mine now and take it to the local O2 tomorrow.

Ok just got back from them and their "Guru" had a look at it and it seems all he did was plug it into Zune and got told there was no update avaliable. They wanted £25 to send the phone to HTC for repair, they also said (after them initially denying that there is in fact a new update out) that its slow to roll out so it could be that it hasn't reached my handset yet. They didn't listen to me when I said but other people who have HTC HD7 have already got the update. So i've just requested a unlock code from them and will go to pay as you go for the moment with another provider as O2 is just being crap.

Interesting as another O2 branded HD7 i picked up for my son got the update just short of the 7.8 one where as my HD7 is still two updates back... O2 guru didnt help one bit as you wrote he just plugged it in to Zune. Im going to seven to eight it as i dont intend to spend any more time on it. Crazy really that it isnt consistent even on two same brand same make/model phones.

Just installing the update on my unbranded Samsung Omnia 7. I had to do the disconnect/connect thing several times because I haven't updated the phone since Mango :P Just installing now....can't wait!! lol

Hi all,
Im not sure if another method was already mentioned, but I tried another way to get an forced update.

1. Connect your device and open zune
2. Open command prompt and type in: ipconfig/release (Do not press enter yet)
3. Press in Zune "Update"
4. wait about 4 seconds and press in Cmd Prompt "enter"
5. Zune will a update
6. Type in Cmd Prompt ipconfig/renew
7. Follow the steps in zune
I had to try it a few times and had to install 2 updates en the third was the final one.
I hope, that if the other method doesn't work for you, that this method works. It worked for me. :)
Let me know...

I've been trying since last night but no luck on my at&t HTC TITAN.
I know I'm doing it right cos of three things:
1. If I DC the net too late = It says your phone is up to date.
2. If I DC the net too early = It immediately gives me the message that you are not connected to the internet, try again.
3. If I time it perfectly = It does what the instructions say., it takes about 20+ seconds, like it is doing something, but eventually does say that you are DC from the internet, try again.
Has anyone with an at&t HTC TITAN been able to get this to work?

Just successfully updated my HD7 to WP7.8, it's good news that HTC still hasn't forgotten us first generation Windows Phone 7 users, although I do hate such method to force the update going, timing for disconnect internet is so essential that I had to try many times.......

I've been trying since last night but no luck on my at&t HTC TITAN.
I know I'm doing it right cos of three things:
1. If I DC the net too late = It says your phone is up to date.
2. If I DC the net too early = It immediately gives me the message that you are not connected to the internet, try again.
3. If I time it perfectly = It does what the instructions say., it takes about 20+ seconds, like it is doing something, but eventually does say that you are DC from the internet, try again.
Has anyone with an at&t HTC TITAN been able to get this to work?

That phone along with other phones like my HD7S arn't up on the servers which means you can't get them through the DC trick, im almost sure our phones will appear on the servers sometime in feburary so that we can download them.

After forcing an update through it unfortunately only turned out to be this version - 7.10.8858.136. which is in fact not the 7.8 update, so i will have to wait for it to do itself as i can no longer force through annother update, oh well...

Worked for with a HTC Mozart from Phones4U on Vodafone but sold unlocked/unbranded. Had to install/force two other updates first and then finally another couple of attempts to get 7.8 to force install.

I'be been trying to up my LG Optimus 7 for two hours now, I've turned off both WiFi and Data Connection, I've tried Airport mode and taking the SIM card out- yet every time I disconnect and reconnect to Zune and attempt and update it gives me an error: either 8000FFFF or 80072FA8.
How do I solve this? I just want 7.8 :(

Its saying that I have 7.10 (8779) but I haven't updated it yet. My mom got the update already this morning but my dad and I have yet to get it. All three are Lumia 900 on At&t. I tried to force it but it hasnt worked yet. If anyone has a tip, please help me out!

Im from finland and my unlocked lumia 800 is being updated at the moment, took me about 10 tries before i was able to download the updates. The best way is to pull the ethernet cable off just before zune has finished checking for updates. I counted how long it did take for zune to finish checking updates and then repeated and pulled the ethernet cable about a second before it was supposed to be done. Hope it works to all of you.

Omnia 7 on Orange
It worked for me after a few attempts, what I did was run the update and time how long it takes to say there is no update.
Click off Update and then back on to it. This time disconnect from the internet about halfway through the update, ie. if it said there was no update after 6 seconds, wait 3 seconds before disconnecting.
I had to do this 3 times as it installed 2 smaller updates first.

You couldn't have read all the comments as many HD7 owners have reported getting the update. Currently for Bell in Canada, and in Switzerland. I have a HD7 on Telstra and I'm currently installing the first 8779 update (I already have Tango from September last year)

Damn you guys are salivating for this update.. Im not doing no tricks or anything im gonna wait for the official update for my phone I have been patient enough for months why would I be inpatient since att announced it already.. Good luck to all yoh

Thats cool but if u are trying the force update again and again nd failing each time suddenly u get the update that make u happiest person in the world........... lol..... by the way we waited this update for so long.... so cant wait any more....

FYI I have a Telstra branded HD7 (all HD7's were unlocked by default, but not unbranded in Australia) and after a few tries I've got the first 8779 update coming through... I'll reply here with further updates...

... okay, that update went well. I had to do the cable-trick again, and it's now offered me 8783 (support for phones with no camera button etc). I'll have to run through this update later as it's time to go to work!

I have a Lumia 900 on AT&T in the US and I can't get the update. I've had no luck trying to force the update from my Mac either. Maybe I'm mising somthing. When I called AT&T they said I should be able to, but sent me to Nokia tech support. Who said to wait, becasue the update comes out in batches... Not wanting to wait any longer! lol
Any suggestions? Anyone have luck forcing and update with a Mac in the US?

Didn't have to force. Zune served up the update this morning and other than it's typical non specific errors it gives from time to time when updating which I've determined is probably server load, 3rd time was a charm. Took about 25 minutes...

Other Mozarts have been getting it.
Tired it most of today, it just won't work, it either tells me there is no connection or that it is up to date.
Then, on the off chance it is thinking about it - it returns saying that there is no connection :/

ok..... here is ur solution. first try to check update while ur connection is active. count tie time needed for the messege ur phone is up to date. then click wareless sync below the update.next click update again. then just before that time whn prvious msg popup disconnect ur connection.... keep try in this way.. it definately work... i also face same prob like u... this trick really work for me... all the best..

the idea is to find the sweet spot to disconnect between connection not found and your phone is up to date messages.. Keep track of time and increase the time to turn off incrementally till you hit the sweet spot!

Worked a treat here this morning. Thanks WP central! Who knows how long I would have had to wait here with Virgin Mobile UK. 7.8 start screen is great, though everything seems to run a bit slower on my lumia 610 I find...

This trick worked for my HTC Radar c110e here in The Netherlands. My 'phone is on the T-Mobile network here in The Netherlands and is not unlocked.
I had to carry out 2 updates. The first was 7.10.8783.12 and after that the phone updated to 7.10.8558.136.

Three Network - UK
Mine has started just now, followed the missisipi trick got to 19 missisipi's. However found a shortcut. When first checking for the update - where it comes back as "your phone is up to date" count how many missisipi's this takes to happen. as what your aiming for is to disconnect before the server reports back, for me it was 21 missisipis to connect to the server, so i tried 19 before pulling my connection and pop! it started.

Successfully updated my HTC HD7 unlocked phone. It took me longer than I expected and I had to do the trick 3 times for three different updates. In the end, I can confirm that HTC HD7 has updated to windows phone 7.8...I would say timing is important for the trick to work and if you keep trying, you will get it! :)

What carrier? I'm on tmobile US and no luck. I pul the ethernet cable on my computer after clicking on update. It eventually times out and says it cannot check.Once I put my computer back on line nothing happens. Am I missing a step?

Getting the update as I’m typing this on my HTC 7 Pro, carrier unlocked with German Telekom branding. Had to force the update just like with Mango and Tango before. Will try my sister’s HTC 7 Mozart, also Telekom branded, once I’m finished with mine.

Just an update: Lumia 900 AT&T USA.
Yesterday i could not get the force update to work. This morning decided to try again. Got the first update on the first try. Waited 1.5-2 sec to disconnect the ethernet cable. Second update was 7.10.8858.136, waited 2.5 - 3 sec to disconnect ethernet cable. I just got 2 updates, expected 3. Anyways it is done now, hope this helps.

ok guys, i got the update, iam going to write what worked for me..
the usual force update steps but, dont remove your ethernet club or switch off your router, disable wifi through your laptop/pc- adapter settings- disable wifi. Your phone should always be in flight mode. Be quick and fast in disabing, i only had to do it twice.
secondly there are 3 updates, you have to repeat the whole procdure for all the 3 updates.
my phone is restarting at present waiting for 7.8
Factory unlocked
Htc Radar/Omega
India.

can't seem to get it working :( Unlocked HTC HD7, keep trying but i either don't pull it out quick enough or i pull it out and then wait for around 20 seconds and says can't check for updates now, please try again later. in small print says couldn't connect to update service :(

Although I have used the remove cable trick for previous updates and two out of the three updates required for 7.8 this time, I've just not been able to get the final most important update to work. God have I tried for long enough!
So thanks to Robin for his guide, although doing basically the same thing, as ripping out the cable it worked on the second attempt. Bingo.....
I guess its all down to timeing! Let me repeat his comments for others
1. Connect your device and open zune
2. Open command prompt and type in: ipconfig/release (Do not press enter yet)
3. Press in Zune "Update"
4. wait about 4 seconds and press in Cmd Prompt "enter"
5. Zune will a update
6. Type in Cmd Prompt ipconfig/renew
7. Follow the steps in zune "enter"

rebranding definately made the difference I did the first 2 updates rebranded to rogers then tried the 3rd update unbranded and it wouldnt work at all rebranded back to rogers and it worked again first time...just FYI

Worked for my Lumia 800 romania country variant. After 10 or so tries I got the right timing (about 6 seconds) and then got it from the first try for each of the three updates. Initial impressions are good, although it does feel a little bit more laggy in the start screen! I'm also a bit dissapointed that the Xbox Live games are still not available for my country (after reading in one of the update's description that the Live Service would be extended in a few countries)

P.S. Being a developer myself, I BET this "forcing" stuff is left intentionally in the Zune software ;)

Finally updating to wp7.8! I couldn't go past the first update.. After 50 trials of cable tricks I decided to turn the modem off in order to change my ip address and guess what... it worked! So if you are stuck like me after the 8779 update, try to renew your ip address.
Whating for the install to finish to be another happy 7.8 user :-)

This is exactly what happens to me, as soon as I turn off both WiFI and Data my phone will refuses to check for updates instead giving me errors 8000FFFF and 80072FA8 and says connection cannot be made depiste my Ethernet being in and working

Yeah, I got that too. Just means you disconnected too fast still. Just keep trying to time it out and wait a second longer each time. It would check for updates for up to five minutes for me and then my update was finally available.

Worked great for my lumia 900 on Rogers in Canada. Got 3 updates total: 8779, 8783 and 8858. Took me 2-5 tries for each of the 3 updates to get the timing down. Like was said in earlier post.....if you see message "can't update now" then you disconnected internet too fast. If you see "phone is up to date" then you disconnected too slow. Try hitting update.....do not disconnect.....and count the seconds to the message "phone is up to date." With my connection it took 5 seconds. Then click different link above update.....then immediately click update again. I tried to pull the dsl cable from modem at about 3 sec. after hitting update again. I just aimed for the middle. Sometimes I was too fast and sometimes too slow. But I now have all my updates. Hurray!!
LOL, don't forget to plug your dsl(internet connection) back in when update is available. I lost an update because I got excited when it worked, and forgot to plug it in. Oh, and on repeat tries, give the internet 30 sec before hitting update again as the connection speed may vary just a bit after plugging in again. Good Luck!

I have an unlocked HD7 for 2+ years now, no update yet and I too have tried the trick. Worked like a charm with mango but not this time around. Side note, really dissapointed with Tmob, they have great prices but not impressed by their windows phone 8s, really want a L920 but just can't afford the $60+ dollars a month that ATT will charge me. Also not convinced with the 8x considering th issues I have had with my HD7 (wifi/3g bug connectivity, when listening to music on headphones, volume will increase or decrease or ask me to speak into the microphone)

For us Verizon/Trophy users, we are just screwed until they decide to let us have the update. I've seen the European Trophy users have been able to use the cable trick with some success. I'm just going to wait until I'm notified that an update is available for my phone. I don't understand the reasoning of leaving out the US Trophy. This is one of the issues with MS. Making the wrong decisions just like Android and IOS. They could have sent out the update to everyone at the same time. Don't give me it could have shut down the servers, when that's BS due to when I had a BlackBerry, any major updates, they would send it to your computer and your phone would notify you that there is an update. Then the message would instruct you to go to your desk top client. That was one of the things that I did like about BB. Very diligent with mass updates. I'm not leaving or even bashing MS, but this is not the way to handle things when you are still trying to gain a foot hold in the mobile industry. But I will have to be more patient than normal until my phone or plug into Zune to get the update the old fashion way. By waiting. Congrats to all that were able to download 7.8. Enjoy.

Dude, please chill. It's the carrier you should be bad mouthing not MS. As you can see, this is MS pushing the update, not the carriers. I have HTC 7 Pro, HTC said "not yet", but I got it anyway, thanks to MS. Don't get paranoid about Europe vs US strategies, like so many others.

Listen, that shows that you didn't understand what I was saying nor did you read what I said. I wasn't bashing MS and secondly I wasn't being paranoid about Eu vs US. I was just voicing my opinion. I completely understand that it's the carrier, but the point I was making that MS shouldn't leave it to the carriers to say when an update should go out to the customers. What that does is makes people want to leave the os for something else. I am one of the strongest defenders WP and MS. I merely stated that a route that MS could go is to send the update directly to the desktop app, that way people wouldn't have to force an update or trick the servers into thinking that your device is ready for an update.

I'd also love to know how you do this. What I've read seems to imply there's a registry-editor you run on the phone itself - not the Windows desktop registry - (after deploying with a sideloader on a developer-unlocked phone?)... but I can't find the XAP in question to do this?
Or am I mistaken and there's another way?
Thanks. :)

I so don't get why i can't do this been trying for 2 hours ill give up and try another day.. i don't know if like its because the server is busy when i search the error code i get it says the windows update server may be busy but that is aimed at windows not windows phone :/ plus saying my phone is updated it does fine :/..